| Name: Copper |
Origin of name: From the Latin, cuprum, after the island of Cyprus where it was found. |
Chemical formula: Cu |
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Copper is the most common naturally-occurring (native) metal and was one of the first metals used by man. It was used to make tools, ornaments, cooking utensils and coins. More recently, its high electrical conductivity, combined with ductility, have made it valuable for the electrical and electronics industry, and its malleability makes it useful for domestic plumbing and pipework.
When it grows in restricted spaces between rock layers, native copper often develops branching, "dendritic", forms - like that shown in this picture. Native copper used to be the main ore, but copper is now extracted mainly from its oxides and sulphides. |
Crystal system: cubic |
| Class: Native elements |
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| Hardness: 2.5-3 |
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| Cleavage: none |
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| Colour: brown, red, or light pink |
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| Specific gravity: 8.9 |